Stair-carpet fastener.



J. H. BOYE.

sum CARPET FASTENER.

I APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8, 1911. Paten'ted Apr. 8,1919

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

I; j a

J. H. BOYE. STAIR CARPET FASTENER- APPLICATION FlLED OCT. 8, I91

Patented Apr. 8, 1919.

2 SHEETS-3H5 2.

ms mums Flnzns m, wunmumm. WASNINGYON. o. c

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES H. IBOYE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES H. BCYE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS. V

STAIR-CARPET FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 8,1919.

Application fil ed October 8, 1917. Serial No. 195,249.

teners of that general type employing a rod lying in the angle of the carpet between the tread and riser, and clamps that are detachably secured to the angle portion of the stairway formed by the junction of the tread and riser outside the edges of the carpet and engage the rod to hold the latter in place; although in a somewhat simpler form of my invention, the rod may be dispensed with, and the clamps alone relied upon as carpet fasteners. j i

The principal objects of the invention are, first, to provide a-fastener wherein the rod will be so held as to prevent central springing or bulging of the same away from the carpet and insure that the rod shall lie throughout its full length in engagement with the carpet, to provide a fastener construction readily adaptable to the. varying standard widths of stair carpet now -in vogue; to provide a fastener which may Figure 1 is a perspective view of a frag-v ment of a stairway and stair carpet showing the preferred form of my improved fastener applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale,.looking,directly into the junction of thetread'and riser;

Figs. 3,4 and 5 are cross sectional details on the corresponding lines of-Fig. 2;

nates the stair carpet designed Fig. 8 is a longitudinal section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 9; j a

Fig. 9 is a cross section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8. a

In the drawings, 10 designates the tread and 11 the riser of a stairway and 12 desigto be secured in place on the stairway by my improved fastener. Referring first to the form of the invention illustrated in F i s.-1 to 6 inclusive, 13 designates a stra ght round rod that overlies that portion of the carpet lying in the joint or angle formed betweenthe tread and riser. The end portions of this rod are engaged by fastening clamps, each of which is of approximately semi-tubular form in cross section and comprises a curved elbow portion 14: that lies outside the edge of the carpet and has-tapered edges 15 and 16'that engage the surfaces of the tread and riser adjacent to the joint formed bythese parts, and a relatively lon arm portion 17 that overlies the edge P01131011 of the carpet and to a considerable extent the endportionsof the rod 13, as most clearly shown 1n Figs. 2 and 6. The angular relation of the elbow 14 and arm 17 is such that the latter does not lie parallel with the rod 13, but at a narrow angle to the latter, as clearly shown in Fig. 6, so that the arm 17 engages the rod 13 only at its free end, as indicated at 18, this point. being a considerable distance inwardly of the extreme end of the rod 13. The arm 17, at or ad jacent to its junction with the elbow 14: is provided with a slot 19, through which is passed a fastening screw 20 that enters the tread member 10, or the lower portion of the riser 11 (as the case may be) and serves to hold the clamp member securely in engagement with the rod. For ease of application and removal. of the clamp, the head of the screw20 has its opposite edges flattened, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, so that by giving the same a quarter turn, the head a will lie in register with the slot 19, permitting the clamp to be readily applied or removed without withdrawing the-screw.

The clamp member, in the preferred .form

thereeof herein shown, embodies two other structural characteristics which adapt it to serve well the function of a stair carpet fastener without the rod 13, where a simpler and more economical fastener may be desired. By reference to Fig. Qit will-be'observed that the long arm 17 is taperededgewise from amaxi-mum width attheelbow let to its free or rod-engaging end. By reference to Figs. 6 and 8 it WllldflilSOlbB b- 7 served that the longitudinal edges of the arm :-17- are not straight throughout, but are slightly beveled or tapered from a point indicated at 21 to the '-'free 'end;' th-is por tion of the free edges lying at a narrow angle to the inain portion of said free edges.

The advantages of these structuralfea- 'tures will be apparentfrom Figs. 7 to 9 inclusive which illustrate the use of'the clamp members alone as a carpet'fastener. In this case the clamp members are secured in position by the same means as is shown in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive (screws 20) and the portions of the carpet adjacent to the angle. are engaged by the tapered or beveled portionsof the edges of'thearm'1'7'lying beyond the points 21', such tapered or beveled portions being designated in Figs. 8 and 9 by 22.

The longitudinaltapering of the arm 17 itself 'effects a desirable distribution of the metal for strength purposes, and also substantially closes'the joint betweenfthe fasten'er and the carpet, preventing the introduction o'f dust and dirt beneath the fastener although the actual clamping -eifect is "done by the slightly beveled or tapered edges 22.

It is believed that 'the'st'ructural characteristics, mode or prin'ciple "of operation, and

the advantages of the invention will be readi ly understood by those familiar with this class of devices'without further detailed description. WVhere the rod "13 is employed, the application of the holding pressure :at points considerably inwardly of the ends of the rod holds the latteragain'stthecarpet thr'ougho'utxits entire length, and prevents the central bulging or springing oflthe rod be removed and replaced Wi'th'a negligible amount of time and labor,thereby giving to the device a sanitary character. In the'form shown in Figs? to 9 inclusive,'the clamps engage the carpet at thesame relatively advantageous points that they engagethe rod,

so as to prevent central bulging or springing 'of'thecarpet atthe'joint andhld-the flatter 'snugly against the tread and riser throughout the" full widthbf the carpet.

It is manifest that the specific form and details of the structure described may be modified without departing from the principle and substantialcharacter of the device. ence, I do not limit the invention to the 'eXact embodiment herein selected for .purposes of illustration, but reserve all such variations and modifications as fairly fall within the spirit and purview of the appended-claims.

I claim: I

1. In a stair carpet fastener, the combination ofa'rod adapted tolie inthe angle of V the carpet, and clamps adapted to be-secured inthe angle'formed by the tread and riser outside theedge of the carpet and overlapping and bearing upon said rod only at points inwardly of the ends of the latter.

.2. In a stair carpet fastener, the combination of a rod adapted to lie'inthe angle of the carpet, and clamps for said rod, each of said clamps comprisinga curved portion adapted'to fit and be secured in the angle formed-by thetread and riser outside theedge of the carpet, an'da relatively long arm portion overlapping an en d of said rod andbearing at its free end only upon the latter.

'3. In a stair carpet fastener, the combination of a rod adapted 'to lie in'the angle of the carpet, and clamps for said "rodyeach of said clamps comprising a curved portion adaptedto fit andbe secured'in the angle .formedby 'the'tread and riser outsidethe edge of the carpet and a relatively long straight arm portion overlapping *an end of said red at an angle to the 'la'tterand bear- =ing atits free end only upon said rod.

4. In a stair carpetfastenenthe -'combina tion of ,a 'round'rod adaptedto lie in the angle 'ofthe car-pet, and-clamps for said rod, each or said clamps comprising a curved portion'adaptedto "fit and be secured inthe angle formed by the tread and riser outside "the'cdgecf thecarpet, and a relatively long straight arm portion of substantially semi-tubular form in cross-section overlapping an end of {said rod at an angle to the lat'ter and bearing at its free end only upon'saidrod. 7

5. In a stair carpet fastener, the 'combi *nationof-a'rod adaptedto lie in the angle of the carpet, clamps, "each comprising a curved portion a'da'pted to fit inthe angle formed by the tread a'n'd riser 'outside the edge of the-carpet and arelativelyi long arm portion overlappingan s end of said ro'd and hearing at its free end only upon "the latter and provided adj acent to 1 its -juncture"with said curved'por'tion with an oblong-slot; and fastening screws "engaging g; *sai'd slots and formed with oblong heads adaptedto pass through esaid' 'slots'when turned soas'itoi register with the latter.

6. As an article of manufacture, a s'tair carpet clamp of approximately semi-tubular cross-section and comprising a curved elbow portion having a V-shaped free end adapted to fit the angle formed by the tread and riser of the stairway outside the edge of the carpet and a longitudinally tapered straight arm portion longer than said elbow portion adapted to overlie the edge portion of the carpet, the edges of said arm portion being longitudinally tapered or beveled for a distance inwardly of the free end of said arm portion, and said tapered or beveled portions of said edges servin against both the trea and riser.

JAMES H. BOYE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for li e cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

to clamp the carpet 

